Archive of Our Own ^beta

The leaves weren’t changing to indicate the new season, the weather wasn’t getting colder; in fact, nothing was really different than a day or even months before then. Well, nothing except for one single thing: the Halloween countdown. Other than that, the ruckus in town was pretty much the same as always, everyone prepared for the next year’s holiday as soon as the last one finished after all.

They couldn’t remember a time when things weren’t like that, he couldn’t remember anything else than this. 

It was a couple days until Halloween and Jimin was really just trying to convince himself to be excited for it this time. Truth be told, it’d been getting harder and harder through the years. He seriously wished he knew how something he once was so passionate for came to feel like such a drag, but the least he could do now was try to get back into that headspace. Or, at the very least, pretend to.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to whine about it beforehand, though. His poor roommate would just have to deal with it.

Well, at least that was different, right? He wasn’t really with him last Halloween, but now the wonderfully patient and strangely oxymoronic Jung Hoseok had become a really dear, translucent friend.

A scaredy cat much more than a ghost, but one he loves to annoy.

Jimin sighs as he sinks down on the nearest chair, trying to play it off when he checks for a reaction, but ultimately huffing when he sees he’s been completely ignored.

Naturally, he just keeps at it, getting louder and louder until Hoseok caves.

“What’s wrong?”

He really does have the patience of a saint to put up with him, honestly, at least he thinks so.

When they’d first met he didn’t know what to think, he’d just started silently following him one night when he’d been walking Zero, so it’d been a little weird. Yet he’d grown to learn that he was nothing but the friendliest ghost he’d ever met, even if he’d vanish as soon as literally anyone else would step foot in Jimin’s house.

Unlike his dog, which only disappears when Jimin’s out and too busy to pay him any mind, Hoseok isn’t a big fan of others in the town. He had no clue why, but the ghost must have had his reasons.

As Hoseok finally asks, Jimin pouts, he feels like the right answer would be “nothing”, but he can’t even mumble it before he gets That Look from Hoseok, the one that says “I can see right through you.” 

“Do you think I’m talented?” His tone doesn’t really give anything away so Hoseok just nods. “Do you think I’m the best at my job?” Again, he nods. “Am I beautiful?” Now Hoseok is squinting back at him.

“Jimin, you’re the most beautiful, most talented and most kind-hearted creature I’ve ever met. Not to mention, also the scariest one. There’s no question about it, I’m sure everyone in town agrees too.” His brows furrow as his voice echoes. “What’s going on? Are you okay?” He’s floating closer, but Jimin can hardly give him a small smile of acknowledgement before sinking further and further down his chair. 

“I know I’m all that, but why does it feel so bland anyway?” He sounds so small.

“What do you mean?” 

“My accomplishments, my skills, me… I don’t know… I feel like I’m missing something, like there’s a void, a distance I can’t breach. I don’t get it.”

A heavy silence falls between them at that, and to be honest, Jimin starts to feel shame crawl up his spine at it all. He shouldn't have said anything.

But he barely manages to lift his head to look at Hoseok when that entire train of thought is stopped in its tracks.

"Why are you The Pumpkin King, then?" He looks genuinely curious as he asks that, so much so that he doesn't even seem to notice the way that question punched the breath out of his friend.

All he can manage is to stare back and gape like a fish, mouth opening and closing, opening and closing, while his brain is working overdrive; confused as to whether he's being questioned or insulted. Whether there even is a difference between the two.

"What?" He chokes out.

"If it's so monotonous for you, then why don't you do something else? Leave the position open for someone that actually wants it." 

The fact of the matter is he's right, but the words leave a sour taste in Jimin's mouth. He's thought of it before, but to hear it so plainly like that…

“I’m the best at it.” He whispers out.

“Well, you can train someone to take your place. I’m sure you could, you can do anything you put your mind to.” Hoseok sounds so encouraging… it’s embarrassing that he can’t look back at him at the moment, too ashamed of himself.

“I don’t know…”

He knows it’s a childish reaction, but it’s the most he can manage at the moment; he gives his back to Hoseok and looks for his old, trusty Halloween ideas notebook. It’s not like he can’t hear his friend protesting as soon as he does it, but he knows that if he opens up that avenue all he’ll get is in a greater fight, and he really doesn’t want to lose one of the only people he trusts with so much of himself.

“Fine, be like that.” The phrase echoes on his now lonesome house.

He’s not even reading the words on the page anymore, not even processing the drawings. Instead, he wonders how much his friend can understand his struggles; they hadn’t really known each other for that long, and…

“Stop moping!” He shakes his head at himself, pushing both thoughts and books away. He had a Halloween to prepare for, people to scare; this wasn’t the time to be his own party pooper.

He rushes out the door and into the streets: he’ll make this the best one yet! 

-

There was triumphant music on the streets, he’d lit himself of fire, revealed a new striped suit underneath and scared more than he could count when he’d joined the parade.

He could hear the words echoed in the crowd (Halloween, Halloween, Halloween!), and he let it all consume him, moving his body like he was possessed by it all. He was in his element.

This, he had to love.

Everyone’s joy radiated back to him, and he lost himself to the moment.

The chaotic melody made it hard to have a thought at all, but he didn’t need to, not even when his gaze would lock with others; not even when he thought he heard a very specific somebody’s voice cheer for him.

He only wished that could last forever.

-

Just another face in the crowd, that’s what he figured he was to The Pumpkin King. But that didn’t exactly stop him from feeling weak on the knees when their eyes met, much less when he yelled out for him and his voice caught in his throat at the realization.

Maybe he shouldn’t even be in the parade in the first place, he’s anxious he might run into someone he’s still not ready to face, but seeing Jimin at his best was worth any risk.

He felt a little silly, just smiling to himself as he kept looking at his back. Soon he’d be in the human world for a bit, ready to scare some kids as per the tradition, while he’d stay back here feeling strangely proud. He wasn’t even sure if he was supposed to feel like that, he wasn’t even sure if he could consider the both of them friends at this point, but he couldn’t really help it.

Without thought, he found himself even giggling on the spot, covering his mouth when he felt a couple stares his way.

“Jungkook, is that you?” A deep, awfully familiar voice said.

He was hoping this wouldn’t happen, but as he turned around he knew there was simply no avoiding it.

“Doctor. Yes, it’s me.” He spoke every word through gritted teeth, like they were poison in his mouth. Suddenly, he was way too much aware that there was no longer a multitude of people covering him from exposure. He wished he hadn’t been so wistful as to forget why he’d even blended in with them in the first place.

“I was really hoping I could see you here, I know you love the parade.” His eyes looked genuinely sad, brows furrowed, shining with unshed tears; they painted a perfect picture along with the softness of his voice.

He almost wishes he could buy it still.

“And why’s that?” He flinches at his own wording, finding it a little harsh even for the other, but it’s too late now.

“I, um… well, I know you’ve recently moved in with The Faceless Clown; I just wanted to see how you were doing.” He really was stuttering, how odd. “So… how are you?” The doctor wasn’t even looking back at him anymore either, just staring down at his hands, playing with his fingers as if he really was anxious; as if he could feel at all.

“His name is Seokjin, and yes, I’m great.” He’s tempted to throw another jab, to mention that ‘I moved out of your place’ or maybe ‘of course you’d ask around about me’, but seeing the other struggle to meet his gaze has him wavering. Could this all really be an act? He’d never really been that good at pretending, so surely…

No.

He stops that train of thought as soon as it crosses his mind. He’d lived with Namjoon for many Halloweens and he was more than sure that he was incapable of being as sensible as he was acting right now. The most surprising thing right now is that he’d moved away from his lab for even a few minutes, but he’s probably looking for something to work on.

It’s then that he realizes Namjoon’s lips are moving and he’s completely ignored every word he’s spoken for a while. For a moment, he considers not mentioning anything about it, letting him ramble on to a wall and then leave; but he’s starting to feel a little cruel about this. Sure, the doctor had lost his favor, but that was no reason to be meaner to him than he’d ever been.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” It hurts to even say that, but he knows it’s the right thing when the other’s eyes widen and he clears his throat with mumbled apologies. Why is he apologizing? He was the one being ignored.

“I just,” He clears his throat again. “I wanted to give you this.” And then he extends his hand towards him, palm up. In the middle of lies a little red boot with white over the seams; it’s pretty but he’s not sure what it’s supposed to be. “It’s a housewarming gift. I’m not sure what it is, if I’m quite honest, but it’s a curious thing. I know you like those.”

Jungkook's hand moves on impulse to grab it, but it immediately stands still there in the air between them, realizing what he just did before he quickly shoves it in his pocket. He stares, and stares, without even taking a single breath. It’s like his whole world stopped, he really can’t make sense of what’s happening.

He didn’t know who this person was. The doctor was someone that nobody even knew the name of, he was sure he was amongst a very very short list that started and ended on him. The man was simply cold, or rather: emotionless. Maybe that’s why Jungkook had tried so hard to please him all those years only to find that both appreciation and disappointment looked exactly the same in his face.

He’d given him a second chance at existing, sure, but at what price? He had to repay it with perfection and nothing less. At least, that’s what he’d been led to believe from the moment he finally got to open his eyes again. He had to keep what he wanted locked up, secret; all just so he could get by, so he wouldn’t feel like he’d disappointed the one that gave him this opportunity.

So, for most people in the town he was just that: the doctor’s perfect servant. Even after getting as far from him as possible, he still couldn’t get that shadow off himself. He was muscular, skillful, and resourceful but most of all: obedient.

This person was the source from all his ailments, and yet here he stood right in front of him, flustered and soft like he’d never even thought of seeing him before.

“Why?” He finally breaths out. It’s surprising to see the way the other’s hopeful expression falls at his question.

“I know I haven’t been the best to…” That’s as far as he gets to hear before his ears start to ring. Namjoon is probably even apologizing by the way he looks, but it’s too much, it’s not fair. He struggled so much to push all this behind and all he’d thought had been wrong? No, no, no.

He doesn’t even realize he’s mumbling the word over and over until he sees the doctor reach out for him, until he’s running away as fast and far as he can.

-

“Far” may have been a bit of an over statement though, because the place he lands on is the hill over the cemetery. Tears falling faster than he can wipe them, breath so heavy he needs to kneel down to clear his head.

-

Midnight had barely just marked the end of Halloween, celebrations only beginning to die down, yet Jimin’s heart couldn’t wait any longer. He’d been the scariest of them all, again. He’d had no real competition, again. He’d done everything to perfection, again. Things had gone exactly the way he’d expected them to and that’s exactly what he didn’t want. 

So, after charming his way far from his fans –they were sweet, but he really had no energy to deal with such a crowd–, he slipped out and into the cemetery. 

The old familiar hill awaited for him there, the perfect place to gaze up at the moon. It was just the same as always, but at least he could breathe better being in that place.

He really wished he could feel anything other than empty. He wished he could find what it is that he’d been missing, but until then at least the moon would keep him company.

Or, well, that would’ve been the case had he not had the same idea of escape as someone else. 

He can barely make out their silhouette from where he stands, but he thinks he hears them hiccup; and by the quick rise and fall of their shoulders he puts two and two together and rushes their way. In that moment, he completely pushes back all self-pity, his only concern this person he hasn’t even recognized yet.

And then he realizes that maybe moving so fast wasn’t the greatest of ideas because just as his shoes crunch on nearby fallen leaves, the other turns so fast he gets scared right back. Soon enough they’re both lying on the ground, staring wide eyed at each other. Their hearts are beating too fast to even process who the other is.

Just then it clicks.

“Jungkook?” He hasn’t even finished saying his name before he finds himself crawling closer to him, the thought of him crying pushing him towards him. “What happened? What’s wrong?” One more crawl and he’ll get to touch him, but he keeps his distance just in case. He’d never seen him cry before, he’s not really sure if he’d be comfortable with that.

“I’m fine.” He mumbles back. It sounds so broken it only serves to deepen Jimin’s worry.

But he knows better than to push directly, so instead he takes a little breath, puts a smile on his face and tilts his head to get a better look at the other. He doesn’t look like he’s physically hurt at least, that’s good, but the way his eyes look so glossy and detached is really pulling at his heart strings. He needs to try and make him feel better, in any way he can.

“Is that why you were kneeling here all on your own?” He teases, his eyes almost fully closing with his smile.

He hears a small, watery chuckle in reply; that alone makes up for it all.

“I just… I think I realized something I’ve known for a while, but… I don’t want to. I don’t want it to be true… I’m not ready for that.”

He really wishes they were closer, that he could just dry his tears away and wrap him in his arms, but he reluctantly stays in place instead. He bites down on his lip and nods, humming before he gives Jungkook a small smile.

“All you need to do is breathe, nothing else. Can you do that for me?”

He nods in response, immediately closing his eyes, inhaling deeply; and filling Jimin’s heart with warmth at the sight. He’s so impossibly endeared he doesn’t even remember why he’s at that place to begin with.

In the most strangely comforting rather than uncomfortable time, Jungkook finally opens his eyes. They’re glowing now and for once in this night, it’s not with the shine of tears.

“Thank you.” It’s barely even a whisper, but Jimin hears it nonetheless. He can only shake his head in response.

“You would’ve done the same for me.” And he means it.

They’re staring at each other now, but once more it’s not an awkward silence that they share. And as much as they would have wanted it to: it doesn’t last forever.

“So… what brings you here?” Jungkook asks.

Truthfully, Jimin does consider not telling him a thing about it; he doesn’t want to burden the other with those types of things –much less when he hasn’t figured it out fully himself–. But the tear stains on the other’s face remind him of where he stands, of who this is.

“Do you want the full truth?” He forces a smile as he asks, but he can feel that ugly feeling bubbling up inside him again. He’s grateful that Jungkook just gives him a nod at that. “I know I may sound ungrateful considering where I am, but… reality is that I feel… lost.” He trails off, suddenly very insecure about every word coming out of his mouth; he rushes to clarify. “It’s just… I’m the best at what I do, I’m confident in my abilities; I enjoy it, even! Well, every now and then I do…” He fidgets; pulling on his fingers like it’s the only thing keeping him sane. “But it feels so empty, so…” He sighs, but in his rush to get up it ends up sounding like a gasp instead. “I’m sorry, I’m sure you must find me exasperating now.”

Jimin’s already stumbling away, but Jungkook’s barely trying to catch up on what he just heard. He can feel a wave of emotions running through him, so overpowering he’s not even aware of his own movements when he rushes towards his friend and grabs his wrist. He’s so out of it, he doesn’t see the shock in Jimin’s face, much less notice the way his fist clenches like he’s trying to keep him holding him.

It’s so frustrating how both of them can’t get the words out of their mouths.

Jungkook needs to tell him that he knows exactly how he feels, that despite being so shocked to find Jimin’s struggles, this makes him feel so much closer than before. But he doesn’t.

And Jimin… well, all he can think about is apologizing and running away. So when Jungkook lets go, he doesn’t waste a second to put that in action.

“Are you okay?” He feels tense as he asks this, a mixture of worry and exhaustion rushing through him. 

It’s kind of embarrassing the way he exhales with so much relief when Jungkook gives him a small nod in response, but his thoughts are too clouded, it’s too much. 

“I’m really sorry, but I need to leave… I… I can’t do this right now.”

He feels the shakiness in his voice reverberate across his entire body, like he’s full on trembling through the words, like they take that much effort to get out. That’s all he says before he walks away, yet even in that state, he manages to pause all panic for a second. He pets Jungkook’s hair with the most sorrowful expression the man has ever seen on him; it breaks his heart.

-

The image of Jimin running away from him keeps replaying over and over in his mind. But he knows he’s being dramatic even in this state, even as he’s throwing and catching the little red boot the doctor had gifted him. The truth is probably more complicated than he thinks, or maybe not, maybe it’s really simple: he should’ve said something to comfort Jimin just like he had for him.

Sounded simple enough, right? He sighed, if only he hadn’t frozen on the spot, then maybe he wouldn’t feel like such an idiot.

An idiot that apparently walked right up to Jimin’s door without even thinking about it; he realizes then.

For a moment, he considers leaving and pretending none of this ever happened, but he won’t let himself be a coward twice in a row. So he takes a deep breath and knocks. And then he waits.

Nothing happens.

No response, no footsteps, no nothing.

He really has no idea where Jimin could have gone to. But he also has no clue about the scaredy ghost watching him from inside the house; much less about the town-wide craze over Jimin’s sudden disappearance.

-

Jimin’s lost all feeling in his legs, walking and walking through the woods with no end in sight. This had been his plan in the first place, to get as far away from the usual routine as he could; physically, that is. But now that he’s doing it, now that he’s walked away from the most comforting place he knew: he’s not really sure about even that anymore. If he felt lost before, then now he’s positively stranded in a new planet.

All he can see is Jungkook’s tears, and the doe-eyed look he gave him before he walked away. And maybe under normal circumstances that would lead him to believe that his friend worries and cares for him, but this isn’t normal. His mind jumps right into the other being disappointed in him, and it’s so hard to be convinced otherwise when he feels that way towards himself.

He wants to stop thinking, he needs to. So when he sees an odd looking tree with a strange decoration on it, he opens what seems to be a door in it, without a thought to be had.

And it’s so, so cold in there. And so white too; strangely so!

This is different; this is something he’d never even thought of before. He doesn’t even know what “this” is, for goodness’ sake. But it’s so refreshing –both literally and metaphorically–, that he can’t back away.

He takes a couple steps and gasps at the texture, at the crunch under his feet, at the freezing cold. He’s smiling from ear to ear and he can’t wait to share this now.

That was probably exactly why the second he thought of it, his line of vision crossed actual beings not far from him. He hid behind a tree and saw them all move in this strange little world. They kissed each other! They handed out colorful boxes with ribbons on top!

What in the world was this? He couldn’t look away, couldn’t even blink afraid that he’d miss a thing.

Ho ho ho!

The sound spooks him more than he’d ever admit, and in his movement, he shakes the tree he’s hiding behind. Hopefully no one saw, but he feels like there’s something on his head, then.

It seemed to be a little red boot… How odd.

-

All things considered, it wasn’t long before Jimin danced his way back into town and into calming everyone’s nerves down. He was constant movement, ordering a town meeting without a breath to spare, without a look around at all.

He spoke of “Christmas”, of “Sandy Claws”, colorful things, white cold, and gifts. It was shiny, it sounded nice, but it caused an unsettling feeling to start forming in Jungkook’s stomach. He really wasn’t sure about this.

The meeting didn’t last that long, but Jungkook couldn’t waste any time anymore. He rushed his way towards Jimin like his death depended on it almost immediately. Forget their earlier awkwardness and his anxiety, he needed to check up on his friend above all else.

“May I speak with you, your highness?” His voice trembles as he asks, but if Jimin’s snort is anything to go by; he didn’t pick up on that.

“I told you not to be so formal with me. We’re friends, right?” Finally, he looks at him, and honestly none of what he told him registers because all his brain power focuses on the sparkle in his eyes. Seeing it there only worries him more.

Sadly, that was that Jimin managed to pick up on: his furrowed brows and his concerned expression. He looks him up and down, mirroring the way he imagines he looks like; serious before he gives him a smile that stops his heart completely.

“I’m sorry for what I said earlier, truly. Don’t worry about me; I was just joking around…” He nods to himself, and Jungkook can’t help but wonder if the gesture is one of self-reassurance or whether he’s reading too much into it. “Leaving you like that… that wasn’t very nice of me either… I hope you can forgive me, but…” His voice is so soft, so gentle that he’s sure nobody else would be able to hear him. “Could I do anything to make up for it?”

All Jungkook can do is stare, mouth open so wide that he’s just surprised his jaw hasn’t fallen already. His throat is so dry too; he can’t possibly be expected to speak now, right?

But then Jimin starts caressing his arm. Up and down, up and down; over and over without breaking eye contact for a single moment. Jungkook genuinely has to force himself to clear his throat and look away. He’s here for a reason, god damn it.

“Actually, about that…” His face feels so hot that he just feels it getting hotter by virtue of his realization. “I should be the one apolo–” He can’t even finish the word before Jimin raises his hand to stop him.

“I was the one at fault; really, you have nothing to apologize for.” His gaze is so tender, and his voice is so soft; it’s so comforting and caring that he can’t even argue against him now. “So! What can I do? Don’t be shy.” Right as he says that, Jimin happens to find his hand, intertwining their fingers without as much as blinking like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Jungkook can hardly keep it together anymore.

“This whole ‘Christmas’ thing… I think it’s sweet, but… I have a really bad feeling about it.”

“What do you mean?” Finally, Jimin stops moving his arm. Now, he’s not so sure why he wanted him to do it in the first place.

“I mean I feel like it’s just not a good idea…”

All further clarifications die on his tongue when he sees the look Jimin’s giving him; like a kicked puppy trying not to cry. How can he burst his bubble when he looks so happy? Ugh. He’s really just worried that this will have a horrible outcome, but he hasn’t had any specific premonition about this –yet–, so who’s to say it’ll be that bad, right?

Jungkook forces out a laugh, cringing when he realizes how fake it sounds. “Um… what I meant is that… you know, uh… it’ll be a bad idea if I don’t get involved, I’d be great help.” Good one.

It’s pretty humiliating at this point that he’s backtracked so fast at seeing Jimin’s expression, but goodness the smile he gives him then could save the world. The way he looks back at him, his cute crescent-looking eyes, and his little dimples: everything about him is so beautiful.

“You’re right!” Jimin’s tone is so cheerful, he can’t stop himself from smiling back at him. “That’s actually why I’m so glad you’re here now, I really do need your help.”

Goodness, Jimin’s puppy eyes and pouty lips could seriously melt flesh right out of corpses, he’s so cute. He hasn’t even said what he needs help with and Jungkook already knows he’ll say yes no matter what.

“I still need to do a lot of research about Christmas and how all this could work, but… once I get there, I want you to be ready. I’m not sure exactly what I’ll need yet, but… I’m confident you could really do anything. You’re so smart and skilled, I have no doubt you’ll do an incredible job.” He takes a deep breath, and then: “So, what do you say?” 

What he should be saying is “I don’t know, I think this will probably end terribly, maybe we should rethink things before we go into something we know so little of.”, but what comes out of his mouth instead is:

“Of course. Anything for you.”

-

It’s good that he doesn’t need much rest at all because he’s sure he can feel hours and hours fly by whilst he reads up on this Christmas thing. He’s given up on so many unhelpful books that he decided to go back to basics, but “The Scientific Method” is for once not really helping him analyze much of this strange holiday. It also came to his attention that it’s a little difficult to experiment with things that are so easily breakable, much more when he has no idea how to even begin to look at them.

The light of his fireplace illuminates that little crystal ball filled with the white stuff –that is, truly, the only description he can conjure up for whatever it is–, and all he can do at this point is stare at that. It looks hypnotizing, but there is more to it than that. The sight of it makes him feel something strange, something different that he can’t quite explain.

That isn’t right, there has to be a way.

So he gets his ass off the chair and promptly walks out, not even acknowledging that it‘s already light out, there are far too many other things in his head.

His body moves faster than his mind can think it, but he’s grateful that it takes him to the doctor’s house. Or, well: Namjoon. It was to be expected after all, but he still feels a bit defeated in having to rely so much on someone else just to even figure this out. Although, if he was being honest, he was kind of hoping he’d get to see Jungkook along the way. It’s not like he has the focus to spend as much time with him as someone should, but if he could at least see him again, then maybe…

His thought process doesn’t get much further when Namjoon opens up with the most dimple-full smile.

“Jimin! What are you doing here? Would you like some tea? Water? I could brew something else–”

He waves away his offers.

“Actually, I need your help with something.”

After a bit of a long-winded explanation, the sweet doctor gives him all the equipment he required for his experiment. It was kind of him to be so accommodating, but despite that Jimin has a sour taste in his mouth at the whole situation. Where Namjoon has always been tranquil and kind towards him, he’s being a little over the top at the moment. And the fact that Jimin can pick up on it considering how distracted he is… That’s saying something.

Of course, his mind can only go one place.

“Where’s…?” He trails off once they make eye contact, something tells him that maybe it’s better not to bring Jungkook up for some reason. “Nevermind.”

There had always been something odd about the doctor, but he’d been nothing but welcoming to him from the moment they’d met so he’d never really questioned whatever that was. Now it felt particularly jarring, but as he stares down at the vials in his hand, his mind trails off again on everything he still has left to do. He forgets all about Namjoon before he even steps outside of his house.

Actually, Jimin’s so out of it that he doesn’t even register his own movements all the way back to his couch. He doesn’t lift his gaze and he barely peeks around to place down the materials he’d just been given.

That might be exactly why he doesn’t notice a certain absence around him.

-

Jungkook might as well be wearing a paper bag over his head as he drags his feet across town. He’s so genuinely ashamed of himself that he can’t even put into words how embarrassing this whole thing is. There’s so many things plaguing his mind; ranging from what Jimin had told him under the moonlight, to this whole “Christmas” thing, to his absolute whipped nature, to… He doesn’t want to think about the last one, about the reason why he was in the cemetery in the first place.

He takes out the little red boot from his pocket and looks at it again anyway, disregarding his better judgement, like he’s trying to decipher what the deeper meaning behind it is.

And then the poor thing goes flying off his hand because someone decided to be funny and smack him on the back as hard as they could.

“Kook! It’s been a while, buddy, what’s up?” Same old, same old; the owner of the deep voice talks to him like he doesn’t notice he’s coughing out a lung on the floor.

So he does the sensible thing: once he gathers his organs back inside, he glares at the other like he’s trying to burn him with his eyes.

“Not even a hello? Wow, rude. Is this what one becomes when being friends with the all high and powerful Pumpkin King?” Okay, now he really wants to smack him back.

“You know, maybe I wouldn’t be ‘so rude’ if you weren’t greeting me out of nowhere like that.”

There, they stand staring down at each other, daring the other to make the next move. Jungkook’s prepared his fighting stance, arms positioned just right to box the other out of commission. His attacker doesn’t seem to deem him worthy of even doing that much, just standing there like he could take anything from him.

Time passes, tension rises. Who will it be?

“Not this again.” A different voice altogether groans at them. “Are you two children? Come on.”

All hell breaks loose.

In other words: they burst out laughing. The poor newcomer can only roll his eyes at them.

“Tae, that really wasn’t fair, I had my back to you!” Jungkook says it like he’s protesting, but his voice is still so filled with laughter that no one can take him seriously.

“Oh please, you’ve done worse to me before!” He turns to the other. “Right, Yoongi?”

“I am not getting involved with this.” He sounds exasperated and even looks it too with his arms crossed, but the other two know better than to buy it.

Yoongi and Taehyung are a couple of witches, ones that Jungkook had met through working with the doctor and somehow had remained close with since then. They taught him everything he knows about potions, even helped him understand his premonitions better. He really doesn’t know where he’d be without them, even if sometimes he’s a bit of a little shit and forgets to swing by their store to pay them a visit.

“So what were you thinking before I slapped the hell out of your back, huh? You were looking Upset with a capital U.” Of course Taehyung had noticed, he should’ve known.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“We practically raised you on our aching backs, you can’t lie to us.” Yoongi snorts their way at that.

“I could argue it’s the other way around,” He sticks out his tongue after saying that, but stops completely when he notices Yoongi looking at him. He’s so distracted he doesn’t see the way Taehyung’s staring at him like he’s trying to dissect his deepest thoughts.

“You know… I brought him up for the gag, but… did something happen with the Pumpkin King?”

Jungkook feels like his face gets hotter the second he’s brought up again; he already knows he messed up with this one, Taehyung must see right through him.

“What happened? Did he do something to you? Are you okay? Do I need to beat him up?

Jungkook chuckles, but it sounds fake even to his own ears, so he immediately stops. He doesn’t need to lift his head to see the worry in the other’s eyes.

“Stop it, will you?” He takes a deep breath. “It’s just this whole Christmas thing, you know? It’s…” He shakes his head. “I don’t think it’ll end well.”

“You don’t think? Or you know.” It’s not a question.

Jungkook bites his lip, that’s answer enough.

“If there’s anyone he’d listen to, that’s you, so why–” Jungkook whips his head at that and Taehyung immediately stops talking, afraid he’s overstepped. Seeing the glow on Jungkook’s doe eyes though, he thinks that maybe he hasn’t said enough.

“That’s not true, Taehyung. I’m not… I’m not that special, I’m not any different than anyone else in this town.” His tone gets lower and lower as he speaks, so much so that he can’t even hear his own voice over the heavy beating of his heart.

The mere thought of it, of Jimin caring for him so much… it’s overwhelming, he can’t even dwell on it much without feeling like he’s losing his sanity.

“Jungkookie…”

“I’m his friend like everyone else here… that’s all there is to it.” He whispers.

He stares down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs, and then he remembers earlier: Jimin caressing his arms, holding both of his hands like it was the most natural thing in the world. He wonders why he did it, why it made him feel so happy that even now he’s smiling just thinking about it. He possibly couldn’t have meant to… give him such a hope.

Taehyung regards him with a long look before he finally looks down, defeated it seems.

“Jungkook… I know I joke a lot about him being above us all and all that stuff, but… I really hope you don’t buy that. I saw the way you guys talked today at the town meeting, I have eyes.” He talks so soft and slow, like he’s afraid he’ll scare the other away if he speaks in any other way.

And Jungkook… well, he pretends not to listen. Because despite his friend’s best intentions: he really doesn’t want this to get to his head.

He’s become so confused after this Halloween, after talking with the doctor and then Jimin, that he doesn’t even know where he stands anymore. He’s lost.

But he’s not the only one.

As if it were a metaphor for his own person, there on the ground still lies the little red boot he’d been given, completely forgotten by the poor man, but not by everyone.

-

Hoseok is bored.

Admittedly, he never really goes around town much, he finds most people in it either terrifying or depressing –if not both–, but he’s not a fan of just lounging around either. And with Jimin gone for most of the day, he has little to do to distract himself from the incessant rumble of his protoplasmic head.

At times like this, he would typically just wander around the cemetery, wait and see if he could watch someone get some herbs, people dancing in graves and, well, just the typical things.

But in this particular instance, his path deviates as soon as he hears a slap, followed by a very strangely cheerful greeting. He just needs to know what in the world was going on to spark such a thing in a town like this, far too used to everyone expressing themselves in much more negative ways.

Oh, that guy! Wasn’t he the one that had visited Jimin a few days back? The weird one that sat by the door for a strangely long amount of time? Well, it’s not like he can ask anyone now, but he kind of feels like that’s the case.

In any way, he remains hidden as he watches the other interact with whom he can only assume is a witch, staring down at each other like they’re about to duel. It’s a strange but exhilarating sight, even if his instincts tell him to step in and separate them. He’s more than a little pleasantly surprised when he hears someone else’s voice and sees that suddenly all tension dissipates.

He can’t really hear a word they’re saying from where he’s hiding, but he can’t look away nonetheless. They all seem so happy together, so comfortable; it makes his heart ache for some reason. But then they look sad, and he wants to float in and help, but… again, he can’t bring himself to move.

Only once they leave does he come out of his hiding spot, staring down at the ground in shame.

Huh? There’s a little red thing there, kind of similar to the assortment of things Jimin had filled his house with.

Hoseok grabs it before he can think better of it; his friend probably lost it, so it’s best to bring it back.

Or maybe… maybe this was from the guy he’d just spied on. Maybe Jimin’s fan had dropped it during his talk! He gasps at the thought, quickly turning the thing around in his hand, looking it from every angle possible. There’s really nothing that gives away who it belongs to, sadly.

He’s so distracted he doesn’t realize he’s still floating around. Or, rather: forward. He barely manages to stop himself from revealing his presence when he reflectively lifts his head and sees the same man he’d been thinking about standing right outside a door.

“Jungkook, is that you? Could you help me with these decorations?” A voice calls out from inside the house. Ah, so that’s his name.

Once he walks inside the house, Hoseok sneaks around, making sure that he’s safe, and sneaks a peak through the window to see what’s going on. He’s not being creepy, nope; he just needs to make sure that this guy’s not dangerous! 

Hmm, interesting.

Isn’t that Seokjin, the faceless clown, eating lunch with him? Well, currently face-full but who knew for how long this time around. He’d encountered the man a few times near Jimin’s house, but for the most part he was sure that he didn’t frequent town at all. Maybe he was ashamed of his face falling off every now and then, he could see that, but honestly it was kind of surprising if that were the case considering how feared he was for it; there was no doubt in his mind he had a solid fanbase too. Maybe it wasn’t Jimin levels, but–

Oh shit, he looked straight at him. Yep, he was definitely terrifying. He never floated away so fast in his death... That’s probably why he steps right in between Jimin and his books without a thought in mind.

“Hey! You may be see-through but you’re blurring the words and I need to read.” He really took no time at all to call him out for it. But in any case, Hoseok knew better than to provoke the Pumpkin King whenever he was feeling frustrated so he just… floated away and into his favorite chair without another word.

Maybe later he could ask about that man, he wondered what Jimin really thought of him. He wasn’t sure what to think of him himself; was he a friend or a foe?

-

He really has no idea how many times the sun rises and falls, all he knows is that he’s been staring at all these colorful, weird things, for entirely too long and he still has no idea what they even are. He’s broken more than he’d want to admit –most on accident–; this is just not working out.

Could the dead get headaches? Because he’s pretty sure he’s getting one.

He’s so focused on his frustration that he doesn’t hear the footsteps approaching his door, or the later knocks on it... until Hoseok dramatically turns behind him and gasps in fear, whisper-yelling at him to check who it is. Well, he guesses that’s what he was trying to do, it sounds a lot more like screaming than anything else.

Rushing to open up, he’s met with none other than the sweet Jeon Jungkook, in the process of falling on his chest. Thankfully he manages to catch both him and the basket he’s carrying before tragedy can occur.

As soon as he regains his footing, Jungkook takes a step back and away from him, staring intensely at the point his hands meet the basket. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but Jimin feels a little hurt that Jungkook moved back like that; as if his touch burned. But he can’t dwell too long on that once he sees a little pout on the other’s face and a pink tint on his cheeks. Is he that embarrassed? Oh that’s adorable. 

“I-is someone else here?” 

He’s so enamored by the little stutter in Jungkook’s voice that it’s not until the poor guy looks up at him that he realizes he’s been asked a question.

“Oh, it’s…” He turns and gestures, but ends up seeing that he’s just pointing at an empty space. Hoseok’s already gone –of course he is–, so Jimin huffs, and looks back at Jungkook with a small smile. “Nevermind that. What brings you to my humble abode?”

Jungkook squints for a moment before his eyes curve, the edges of his mouth lifting a bit like he’s trying to keep it together. “Why are you talking like that?”

Jimin gasps, dramatically slapping a hand to his chest before giggling at how dramatic his fake offense is. “Just trying to get into the spirit of things, you know? Using zero contractions is more festive, no?” 

Jungkook shakes his head. 

“Oh well, at least I tried.” He smirks, forgetting completely he’d asked Jungkook a question to begin with and just opening the door wider so he’ll walk in. Only after closing the door behind him does he finally take real notice of the basket again. “Is that for me?”

Jungkook blushes, trying to hide himself in the basket before pushing it towards Jimin. “Yeah, I just… I baked you some cookies, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh?”

Jungkook bites down on his lip, he’s not nervous at all, nope. “I know you like them bitter so I just… I got some bitter chocolate along with some frog’s breath...”

Jimin pulls one out, turning it in his hand like he’s trying to find the secrets of the universe within it; he already knows he’ll love it, but he’s still curious. “What’s the occasion, baby?”

Jungkook bites down on his lip so hard at the pet-name he’s pretty sure he’s drawing blood… or at least he would if he had any to begin with. To be fair he’s still not really sure how he blushes when… oh no Jimin’s smiling at him, what was he thinking about, again? 

Shaking his head, he tries to find his words. “Well, with all this Christmas preparation, I haven’t really seen you around for a while and… I worried you weren’t taking proper care of yourself…” He’s not meeting his gaze, he couldn’t if he tried. But Jimin remains silent so he takes that as a push to continue further. “I also kind of maybe probably perhaps had a bad dream about you and I got really worried so I wanted to really make sure you were okay…”

Jimin caresses his cheek at that, smiling tenderly. “Thank you.”

The shuddering breath Jungkook releases there should probably be the most embarrassing thing of this entire interaction between them, but Jimin seems already so distracted with the cookies that he’s not even paying him any mind anymore. He’s kind of grateful for that, honestly, because at this point he’s also one hundred percent certain that his knees are shaking enough for him to want to bury his head under a gravestone.

Yet all that embarrassment washes away once he sees how Jimin chomps down on the cookie, moaning far too loudly as he’s transported to a different dimension of taste. “You should be careful with these, you know, you could bring people back to life with how good they are.”

Jungkook scratches the back of his neck at that, he’s really not used to taking praise, much less from someone like Jimin. Still, he manages to mumble a response. “They’re only for you…” 

Jimin does pick up on it that, his smile gets a little wider, but before he can think further about it he hears the bells of another hour passing and just rushes back to his desk, muttering about his research; Jungkook leaves him alone after that.

A couple hours pass when Hoseok finally pops up again. “Cute.” is the only thing he says as he materializes, giving up at Jimin’s barely there nod in acknowledgement.

-

As he walks out, he presses down on his chest to try and keep his heart from jumping out of it. Now he’s really grateful he came across Taehyung and Yoongi, he wouldn’t have been able to bake that well without their fresh produce… nor with Seokjin’s recipe, but Jimin didn’t need to know that much.

He’s really really trying not to let the hope get to his head, but whenever Jimin gives him another smile, whenever their eyes meet: he’s gone. He giggles, thinking back, the butterflies in his stomach make it really hard to have a single negative thought about this.

And then he sees it: the flowers in front of Jimin’s house are burning down to ashes.

He gasps, all previous jitteriness turning into pure anxiety as he freezes on the spot until the scene finishes playing out. When he’d mentioned visiting because of a bad dream, he hadn’t been lying, but those were his norm… This… This was something else.

He already knows what this means: he knows he was right.

-

His visions keep on replaying in his head as the days go by, weeks really, and the fact that he still can’t bring himself to seriously ask Jimin to stop this Christmas thing for his own sake is driving him mad. So much so that at this point anyone around him might think he’s even more excited for the holiday than the Pumpkin King himself. Every free moment he has –which is… most– he spends sewing the red suit that Jimin described to him. One that eerily reminds him of the little boot he has; but he chooses to ignore that.

Christmas is right around the corner, quite literally at that, and time is running out. But he’s in Jimin’s house now, working on the finer details alongside him, and he can’t bring himself to think straight. Maybe it’s because he’s so incredibly focused on the task at hand, but he can hardly look away from the other. He’s not supposed to, he needs to keep his eyes there so he won’t prick his body with the needle, but it’s making his mind run wild.

There’s a very long list of things that have been bothering him at this point, but one particular one seems to be screaming in his ears whenever he pulls on any of the strings. He knows Jimin a lot better than he used to by now, even though most of the time they’ve spent together has been in comfortable silence, and that has taught me that there’s really nothing that the Pumpkin King can’t do; so why did he need him?

“Why did you request me specifically to make this when I know you’re perfectly capable of doing it on your own?” He blurts it out before he realizes what he’s doing, instantly flushing when he hears his own voice echo in his ears.

Jimin just freezes all movements there, and his eyes meet Jungkook’s in the mirror for a moment before he looks down and –is that a blush?–.

“Well… I just… I’m not as good as you are…” He mumbles. It’s so rare a sound from him that Jungkook has to do a double take.

This is just so confusing.

“What do you mean? You’re great at everything you do,” His face burns; oh no, maybe he went too hard on that compliment. But when he looks at Jimin, he sees his bright smile, the sparkles in his eyes, the way they curve into little crescent moons: he’s breathless at the sight.

“Thank you…” Jimin’s voice is so tender that Jungkook doesn’t even notice he’s squeezing his shoulders in response until he pricks him again and Jimin hisses a bit. “Careful, Jungkookie.” And yet, despite hurting him, his voice is still as soft and Jungkook feels like his face is truly becoming one with the fireplace.

The poor guy can barely mumble an apology before kneeling down to pick up the sewing equipment he’d lost in his stupor.

“But um… I’m just not as good as you… Trust me, I am confident in my abilities, but the way you sew is just perfect… just like everything you do,” Jimin adds.

Jungkook risks a look at his eyes, then, and immediately loses the ability to look away. It feels like he’s sucked into a different world, one where only him and Jimin exist, where they hold each other and there’s no threat, where they can spend all eternity surrounded by love instead of anxious, overly apocalyptic visions.

It’s a hypnotizing bubble, he can’t look elsewhere, doesn’t even want to, and now Jimin’s turned his way and seems to be leaning closer, barely inches separating their bodies. It’s tempting to look down at his lips, to reach out and pull him closer, but he can’t, not when his eyes are saying so much to him. It’s like everything he’s ever wanted, and in that moment he doesn’t want to question it. He doesn’t want to ponder on whether he’s just making assumptions over nothing, but he doesn’t dwell on what this means either.

It seems like Jimin’s having different thoughts though, because he bites down on his lip, like he's trying to hide the impossibly wide grin on his face. He inevitably fails, and ends up chuckling to himself instead, causing Jungkook to grin back at him.

"What is it?" Jungkook's really lost here.

"Nothing, I was just thinking that…" He meets his eyes again. "You're just the cutest."

Jungkook blushes and gives his back to Jimin; oh no, that must be code for him being embarrassing.

But Jimin squeezes his shoulder again, and pulls him out of his reverie.

"Jungkookie?" He sounds concerned, so Jungkook swallows down his mortification and turns around to continue with his work, avoiding eye contact at all costs.

After a spell of silence, of Jungkook looking at his full work rather than the person wearing it, the uncomfortable feeling on the pit of his stomach grows stronger and stronger.

“You don’t look like yourself, Jimin.” He hates that, but Jimin seems to take it as a compliment if his grin is anything to go by.

“Isn’t that great?”

Jungkook’s thoughts stumble at that; what?

“But you’re the Pumpkin King!” He feels almost desperate, this isn’t good.

“Not anymore!” Pause. “I feel so much better now.”

Jungkook really feels like he’s losing him now, he really can’t afford that.

“Jimin, I know you think something’s missing, but–” He pricks Jimin’s finger on accident, interrupting himself.

Still, it seems that his words have reached his friend because he doesn’t look as excessively cheerful as he was before. In fact, he’s moved away and turned his whole body to face Jungkook.

“I told you to forget about that…” He doesn’t meet his eyes as he says it.

“And leave you hurting on your own? What kind of friend would do that?”

Jimin’s head shoots up at that, looking into Jungkook’s determined gaze. It’s like he’s searching for something, desperately, and he can’t even breathe.

“I should have told you back then, but I was too shocked to muster up the courage… I know exactly how you feel, I feel it too.” He feels himself getting choked up as he says it, but he can’t back down now, not even when his vision starts to become a little blurry.

And they stay like that, eyes locked, unwavering, until Jimin gives him a weak chuckle and wipes mindlessly at his face. His smile then doesn’t seem to reach further than his mouth, but Jungkook imagines he just looks the exact same way too.

“Let’s get back to work, shall we?”

And despite it all: they do. Maybe it’s fear that keeps them in motion, afraid that that emptiness has been filled already, that this isn’t necessary, that one wrong move and they’ll be right back to zero –sadly, not the dog–. But neither can brave that final step, to breach the invisible lines they’ve set between them. So they stick to the status quo, the exact same reason why they’d been hurting in the first place, and hope for too much.

Jungkook goes back to his place before they can give it much more thought. Maybe they’ll need a bit more external help before they can make that jump.

-

“Tell me about Jungkook.” The mention is so sudden in the silent room that Jimin stops all he was doing at the sound.  He leans his elbow over the book he was reading, resting his head on his hand before letting his mind wander.

“Jungkook? Why do you want to know about him?” He’s already frowning at that, his tone far too defensive. Hoseok immediately picks up on it, suppressing the desire to laugh in favor of learning more about this guy.

“Well, I just think he’s a really cute guy, you know? Maybe want to snatch him up for myself, if you know what I mean?” He winks for emphasis but Jimin looks straight up horrified at that.

The Pumpkin King stands up so fast that he pushes the chair to fall in his movement, planting his hands on the table so hard his books bounce. “Excuse me? How could you speak of him like he’s some sort of prize?” His tone is controlled, but Hoseok wouldn’t need to be a genius to know he’s just trying to keep it together.

Sadly for him though, this might be the end of that fun road. Hoseok finally sighs. “I’m kidding, geeze. I’m not interested; I just wanted to know more about him.”

Jimin seems skeptical as he steps back. “Okay… but why?”

He really didn’t want to go there, but. “I saw him sitting by the door on Halloween night, he was there for hours, waiting for you I assume.” Jimin’s eyes widen as he hears that, mouth hanging open in surprise. “And then his visit right now… he’s the only one that’s ever come here without wanting you to do him a favor, I was curious as to why.”

Jimin’s lips form into an ‘o’ shape before he turns around and lifts his chair back up, failing to meet Hoseok’s gaze even after he floats to the other side of the room. It looks as if Jimin’s legs have turned to lead with how slow he’s moving before he sits back down.

But once Hoseok puts himself at an angle that Jimin can’t avoid anymore, he finally catches onto the softness in his gaze, the warmth in the way he’s staring down at his own fingers.

“Jungkook’s the sweetest person I’ve ever met… so caring, hard-working, talented, smart… I can’t remember when exactly we met, the Halloweens started to blur together, but…” He exhales a dreamy sigh. “I do remember that first time I met him…” The way his tone displays perfectly the full smile on his face as he speaks of him is so captivating, it’s hard to look away. “He was picking deadly nightshade from the cemetery… I was so used to being there on my own during my walks that I didn’t expect to see someone there. So I froze behind him, and when he turned my way he got so scared he fell down and almost broke a gravestone in the process,” Jimin smiles to himself. “I rushed to help him up… I hadn’t even let go of him when I heard him whisper ‘oh my god, Park Jimin, the Pumpkin King, is touching me’,” His smile has gotten so wide at the memory that he can’t even see his hands anymore. “I burst out laughing on the spot. I’m sure he was mortified at the moment, but he made my day, night… life and death, actually. I don’t think I was supposed to hear him, but…” He trails off at the memory, recalling Jungkook’s doe eyes, the way he whined about being embarrassed, the way he tried to explain that he was a huge fan of his.

He remembers stopping his rambles with a hug, soft and short but so meaningful to him. He thanked him then, he didn’t explain what for, but he hoped that was enough to get his message across. He’d been feeling so hopeless back then, so lonely, and Jungkook had made him laugh for the first time in what felt like forever. He’d always hold a special place in his heart.

“That bad, huh?” Hoseok’s voice brings him back.

“What do you mean?” Jimin really has no clue what he’s getting at. Hoseok shakes his head.

“You should work that out on your own; I’m going to go take a nap.” And he’s gone.

Jimin is more than a little confused, but with the thought of Jungkook, he can’t really focus on his books anymore; he wonders what he’s doing, if the doctor’s treating him well.

He doesn’t know what Hoseok does, that the man isn’t living with him anymore, that he’s recently moved in with the Faceless Clown.

-

Jungkook feels like he can hardly breathe now, pacing around town, trying to figure out how to stop Jimin from continuing with this Christmas thing. It’s frustrating beyond belief, because it’s not like he hasn’t tried to stop him already, but he didn’t know it’d be this bad. Back then he’d just stopped as soon as he saw Jimin’s sad expression, he felt selfish to shoot his plans down. And, to be fair, that hasn’t changed. Because truly, who is he to tell him not to do this?

Taehyung’s voice echoes in his mind, telling him that Jimin cares for him above all else, but how can he believe that when he doesn’t even care that much for himself?

He groans out loud, blushing profusely when he realizes people are staring his way now.

Overthinking’s never done him any good, after all, so he takes this extremely embarrassing chance to look for his wonderful roommate.

Empty? There’s no one inside the house.

“Jin?” All he gets is the sound of his own voice reverberating on the room. How odd, the man rarely leaves the house like this.

But no matter, he’ll ask him later about that.

He walks right back out, rushing towards “Witches’ Cauldron”, their store.

And at the very least they’re there, alright, but they’re swamped with customers. He’s never seen the store so full before, the queue goes as far as to line up outside; there’s no way one of them will take a break now to help him figure out what to do, much less to give him some sort of pep talk.

He’s walking away before he can give it any more thought; today just wasn’t his day.

A claim further proven when on his rush to the cemetery, he bumps into someone and falls right on his ass. At the very least, whoever it is apologizes instantly and offers him a hand.

He’s already taken hold of it and is lifting himself up when the entire scene makes sense in his mind; when he realizes who it is he’s bumped into.

His throat dries as their eyes meet; he really wasn’t ready for this. A whole month had passed since they met on Halloween night, but he’d never given himself time to process that encounter and now he’s faced with the consequences of that decision.

“Why are you being so nice to me now?” He’s muttering the words before he can give a single thought to it. Once more he’s being impulsively rude towards the other.

And yet the doctor has the audacity to smile back at him at that, to look at him like he cares; it makes his head spin.

“I figured I had to make up for what the way I’ve treated you. I know apologizing won’t change the past, I know I’ve hurt you, and I’m not seeking forgiveness. I just hope I can amend the pain I've caused you.”

Why did he sound so sincere, and why did he look so sad as he said that? Why why why why why?

Jungkook sees his past self so clearly now, striving for Namjoon’s attention: preparing new concoctions for him, making meals, building furniture, keeping track of his schedule… all these things the doctor didn’t ask for; all because he wanted to be acknowledged. He hadn’t become ‘his servant’ to the public’s eyes because Namjoon had ordered him to, he hadn’t fixed up his body so he’d be indebted to him, but that was all he could feel. For a very long time, the doctor was the only one he had a connection to, but the man was so extremely focused on his work that he never paid him much mind.

And now here he stood, apologetic and regretful, like all that time had been nothing but a series of accidents; like he’d suddenly had an epiphany about the way he’d treated him.

The worst part of this is that Jungkook knows he wants to forgive him, but he can’t. He can hardly look his way without feeling pain and isolation, that’s why he’d left.

“I’m so sorry I took so long! There were so many people waiting that– Jungkook?” The owner of the voice interrupting his thoughts rushes towards them, and when he says his name: it clicks.

Standing by the doctor’s side now was Kim Seokjin, The Faceless Clown, Jungkook’s roommate. The sight of him there felt like a slap to the face; his chest already hurt and he had no idea why.

“Um… what are you doing here, roomie?” His voice was shaking; whether with guilt or nervousness, he was soon to find out.

“Jin?” Any other day he’d cringe at how broken his own voice sounds, but he feels so small right now looking between the other two that he can’t bring himself to care.

“I’m so sorry baby boy, I swear, I…” Seokjin chokes up on his words and Jungkook has to force himself to look away, he wants to give him a hug but he’s to hurt to. “Me and Namjoon… we’re close, we have been for a while. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, I didn’t want to upset you.”

It’s like a stab to the heart: betrayal. He shuts his eyes closed tight and a tear rolls down his cheek.

“He’s been helping me with my face before you even started looking for apartments; you know how much I struggle with it…” Jungkook’s not even looking at him but he can hear Seokjin swallow, he must be next to sobbing if it’s so loud. “I didn’t want it to deter you from moving in with me, I saw how much you needed to get away, but then… I’m so sorry.” His voice becomes muffled then, he’s probably covering his mouth with his hands.

“The truth is…” The doctor starts then, and Jungkook ventures a look his way despite it all. “I know I was terrible to you when we lived together, I realized far too late that I should’ve congratulated you on all your accomplishments; for goodness’ sake, there’s nothing you can’t do!” His voice shakes, his eyes are getting far too sparkly, and Jungkook can’t see him anymore. Tears are free-falling down his face, the vision of the doctor so blurry he can hardly turn his head to the blob that’s become his body. “But I didn’t tell you that when I should have… and one day you did what you had to: you left. I don’t fault you for that at all.” He takes a deep, shaky breath. “But then I heard you were sleeping on the witches’ store and… I wanted you to have a place where you’d be comfortable. I told Jin to contact you… That’s why I knew you’d moved in with him.”

Jungkook furiously wipes at his face as he hears that, completely incapable of saying a word back, but knowing fully well that he’s both too sad and too angry to have any type of discussion in the moment. He feels betrayed, lied to… but above everything: incredibly hurt.

He runs away so fast he almost trips, hardly seeing in front of him with every step, not even knowing where he’s going.

It should come as no surprise that he’s knocking on Jimin’s door before he can even process it. Or, well, more like pounding his fists on it.

The door opens before he starts his second round of hits, but even then Jungkook can barely pull back not to hit the other and much less can he stop the sobs from leaving his mouth.

Instantly he’s wrapped in warmth. Jimin’s arms around him, whispering him sweet words that he can hardly hear over the sound of his own cries and his mumbled apologies. He thinks he imagines Jimin even kissing the top of his head, shushing him, but he’s too delirious to know for sure.

-

He must have cried so much he passed out because the next time he opens his eyes, he’s lying by a fireplace, someone cuddling him from behind. It’s weird how despite the rush of his heart at the realization, he immediately knows who it is. Maybe it’s because he has a very particular smell to him now, some bizarre combination of coffee, cinnamon and vanilla; not the usual pumpkin he sports. Or maybe it’s just his presence, so dear to him he could recognize him even if he were stripped of his senses.

He finally gives a good look around, at all these strange Christmas decorations. He knows he’ll worry about them again very soon, but right now all he can think about is how he’ll forever associate them with the feeling of Jimin running his fingers through his hair, so softly it leaves Jungkook humming in pleasure.

“Welcome back, baby. How are you feeling?” Jimin’s breath hits the back of his neck; it makes chills run down his back, ones he pushes himself to ignore in favor of not melting into a puddle.

“Better…” He mumbles.

They spend a while like that; how long exactly, he has no idea, but he’d spend eternity like that if he could so it’s not like he’s complaining.

Eventually though, he takes a deep breath, he needs to rely on him now. He mentions his encounter with Namjoon, with as much detail as he can without his throat closing up on him again. He can’t deny it, Jimin’s undivided attention as he talks is making his heart feel much warmer than anything ever has; he even holds him tighter whenever his voice shakes, caressing his arm when he takes a moment to breathe.

And when he feels like he’s poured every bit of himself there is, he turns towards his friend in his arms, realizing they really are extremely close right now. They breaths fan on their faces, almost scolding hot now. Jimin’s hand still hasn’t left his hair, and Jungkook’s feeling a little brave, so he moves one of his arms and drags his fingers through Jimin’s black locks too. Never breaking eye contact, they’re captivated.

He can’t move away, all he can do is get closer, closer… their noses bump against each other, so they angle their heads and–

“Oops!” A voice that sounds very unfamiliar yet strangely deja vuy says as something drops right next to them. “I’m Hoseok, by the way! So sorry for interrupting! You’re so cute– that was… oh yep, I’m gone, bye.” Jungkook’s so mortified that he misses Jimin’s glare at the stranger. 

But then, despite it all, he snorts and it quickly turns into a full-out laugh. Jimin pushes him on the shoulder at that, giggling himself. Strangely enough, though, he suddenly stops as he spots something behind them.

“Oh, did those fall?”

Jungkook turns that way and sees… oh, his red boot. He immediately tells Jimin that’s his, but then stops midway when he realizes that wait, there’s two of them. The Pumpkin King seems a little baffled at that too, he only had one as well.

“Wait, so we each found an identical red boot? Woah, that’s freaky.” Freaky, he says, but his heart says destiny and his brain says ‘the doctor did it’. He quickly disregards that, though, because the man himself had said he’d found it, and so had Jimin; it was probably on the ground somewhere too. How strange.

It’s probably because his destiny bells have gone off, but suddenly, because of Jungkook’s abilities, he has a vision about them, he sees Namjoon worrying about him and finding it, but above that: he sees that those boots were actually two halves of the same decoration.

The vision gives him the last push to stop holding himself back on this. He takes the initiative and intertwines his fingers with Jimin’s; begging him to stop with his Christmas plans once and for all.

And of course Jimin’s face falls at that, but Jungkook’s not letting it stop him now.

“If this truly were making you happy, I promise I would never try and take it from you,” Something about the intimacy of the moment makes him whisper every word, fully aware that they’re close enough to hear even then. “But is it? Look at me, look at where ignoring my problems has taken me.” He sighs. “I’ve had so many visions where you end up in flames, tossed aside, hurt… I don’t want you to go through such a pain too.” He’s pleading with his eyes, brows furrowed so deeply it actually hurts, but Jimin needs to understand what he’s telling him. He’d gotten a second chance and it’d cost him so much, he doesn’t want his friend to even need one.

“I mean, maybe…” He looks back at the twin decorations, a new warmth spreading across his chest. “Maybe this whole ordeal was meant to bring us closer, not to turn you into someone you’re not, not for you to get hurt.”

The air could be cut with a knife at this point; Jimin’s holding his breath as he keeps his eyes on his.

“Jungkookie…” His voice trembles, but Jungkook’s gaze doesn’t waver. “I’ve got the entire town involved with this, I had all these plans and… even now I don’t fully understand this Christmas thing, but… I’m not one to give up on things…” Jungkook’s pouting so hard, even in this state Jimin can’t help but chuckle a little bit. “Just give me a little time, I know you’re right, I just…” Jungkook smiles at him and he knows he doesn’t even need to finish his sentence. It makes sense to be hesitant now, right? Even if he knows the other might be right, he’d invested so much on this…

-

Once Jungkook falls asleep, Jimin takes the opportunity to sneak away to his hill on the cemetery. He tells himself it’ll only take a bit, he’ll be right back to hold him soon; but he’s feeling so conflicted that he needs to stare up at the moon for a little guidance.

He looks up at it, trying to figure out what he should do, trying to think about Christmas, but… After the while he realizes that all he’s going to get out of this is to keep hearing his heart calling for him to go back home, to Jungkook, to stop this nonsense.

He stands up, ready to turn back, and there he sees him.

Sparkly eyes, soft smile: Jungkook walks up the hill towards him.

“I was getting really cold without my cuddle buddy,” He pouts, but by this point Jimin can easily read in his eyes that he’s just teasing because he’s worried.

Now Jimin can’t look away, his heart leaping in his chest as he looks at the other’s face illuminated by the moon, as he thinks about their first meeting there, about the night of the last Halloween, about cookies, about care; love.

They share so much, they’re so similar in so many aspects, and now here they stand under the same moonlight, and the thought really settles: they must be meant to be; they are meant to be.

He closes the space between them, very grateful that he’s standing on higher ground, and wraps his arms around his dear friend, finally letting their lips press against each other. Thankful that it seems Jungkook’s just as eager to have him close; his own hands pulling him closer by the waist, embracing him so tightly that he doesn’t ever want to let go.

In their kiss, it all makes sense.

They’re not lost anymore.